Stranded bumble bee

[WendyS]

I've just found a rather comatose bumble bee in the garden which has probably been caught out by the cold spell. I've put it in a sheltered spot close to a blob of honey in case it needs sustenance, but have no idea what is the best way of rescuing these creatures in such conditions. Any idea?

[julaz99]

hi,
I have no idea either but just wanted to say what a kind person you must be to do such athing for the bee.

I set dragonflies free in the season,or daddy long legs.These acts of kindness make the world a better place.

keep up the good work :)

[indieanna86]

Hi there,

I'm sorry to say I don't think there's anything you can do. Bumble bees aren't usually out and about this time of year at all, I think its because its been a warmer winter than we've seen so far. Try your best to keep it sheltered and see what happens, you never know.

It's great that you're concerned though, most people would swat them! Well done :)

[Athley]

Clanad is a bee keeper, hopefully he will be on the site later and can offer you some advice.

Well done for your bee rescue!

Buzz :o)

[WendyS]

Well, to me the bumble bees are rather lovely little furry flying creatures and I love to hear them buzzing around in summer. This poor little soul had obviously got its body thermostat all wrong. My husband often laughs at me because I also pick up stranded worms from pavements to stop them being trodden on and place them in a place of safety. Perhaps it because I was a worm or a bumble bee in an earlier life !!!

[Thunderbird+]

Hi, What I usually do is allow the b'bee to climb onto a twig then find an open flower to put it on, 9 times out of 10 after about 10-20 minutes it's up and away and buzzing off to the next flower.

[Clanad]

You are certainly to be commended for your attempts at bee-rescue,WendyS... Bumblebee queens, beginning in spring have but one purpose and that is to lay about a dozen or fewer eggs in a beeswax ball she prepares. When the eggs hatch she continues to add wax and pollen to the ball so the larvae aren't able to eat their way out. Finally, she encloses the beeswax ball in a cocoon spun of silk from her body. There may be several of these balls in the nest, depending on the desired size of the nest. Sometime during the summer, the larvae exit, some of which are new queens. The others are rather useless males since their only purpose is to breed with the new queens. The old queen and the drones die off before winter. The newly bred queens do hibernate but may, if the temperatures are high enough, come out for a while. You must have found one of the new queens. The experts advise leaving them alone since they will return to the nest, but I would, if I were you, simply place the bee near the area where you found her. She should find her way back to the nest and continue the hibernation unitl true spring arrives. Nice thought, though! (By the way, thanks for the reference Athley )

[WendyS]

Clanad, Thanks for your very detailed explanation. This new queen must be very inexperienced as we had snow on the ground here this morning. With the temperature dropping all I could do was nestle her in a little nest of soft kitchen paper under shelter but suspect I will find a tiny corpse when I check tomorrow morning.